How Do I Create a Secure Password?

Happy World Password Day!

‍

Today, Thursday May 6th, is World Password Day! This day is dedicated to promoting practices that will help you create safer and more secure passwords. Why have a national password day? Most people do not have safe and secure password practices, one Google survey found that 66% of Americans reuse the same passwords, from online banking to email accounts. This is concerning as past reports have found that over 80% of data breaches result from poor passwords. 

‍

From phishing scams to data breaches, the cybersecurity landscape is more complex than ever. Your passwords protect some of your most sensitive and confidential information, so it is important to ensure that they are as strong as they can be. Having good cybersecurity practices and awareness is absolutely essential to keeping your data safe and secure. 

‍

How Easy is it to Breach a Password?

‍

In the most extreme cases, it can take less than one second for a hacker to breach your passwords. The time it takes to breach a password will increase as the password becomes more secure, this means adding numbers, symbols and a mixture of upper and lower case letters to make your passwords more complex. 

‍

Password Tips + Tricks! 

‍

1. What is a Good Password?

‍

A good password is something that would be safe from simple guesswork and hacking attempts. Many hackers and hacking programs will often try to guess your password by combining random words or facts that pertain to you. This is why it is important that you avoid using any personal information such as names, dates or addresses. It is beneficial to make your password more complex by adding random combinations of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. 

2. Do Not Reuse Passwords

‍

Although it may seem more convenient to have the same password for multiple accounts, this actually leaves you more vulnerable to account breaches. Once someone figures out one of your passwords, then they would be able to gain access to all of your accounts. It may seem tedious, but having a strong and unique password for each account is a good way to keep your information protected. 

3. Consider Multi-Factor or 2-Factor Authentication

‍

When you access your account with only your password, that is one-factor authentication. To increase the security of your accounts, it is beneficial to layer them with two-factor or multi-factor level authentication. Adding this layer of security will help to lower your risk of a security breach. Read more about the types of multi-factor authentication tools we recommend here. 

4. Consider Using A Password Management Tool

‍

Here at Cyber Unit, we also recommend using a password management tool like Lastpass to help you generate unique passwords and keep them secure from potential hackers. It is important that you avoid using free software or apps for password management as they tend to be less secure and can put you at risk.

Are You Worried That Your Passwords Are Not Secure? 

‍

Often leaked or stolen information can end up on the Dark Web, where it can be illegally sold or traded to others. Sign up for a FREE Dark Web Scan today to see if your information is safe. 

If you have any more questions or would like to discuss what a Password Management solution could look like for you, please book a time to speak with us here.